News

The United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) announced today that an independent investigation has begun into allegations of violent sexual abuse by a soldier serving with the force in the troubled northeast of the country.

UNICEF and Save the Children, in collaboration with the United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) have secured the release of 232 children from Mayi Mayi forces over the last few days. 182 children were separated from the Mayi Mayi Baleine Brigade in Beni, North Kivu last week. Their release follows an intensive media and outreach campaign on the non-recruitment and non-use of children by armed groups.

Analysts have welcomed the latest in a series of agreements between the governments of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) aimed at resolving the perennial threat to regional stability posed by the armed groups in eastern DRC.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has stressed that the protection of civilians in armed conflict must remain an absolute priority, noting that even though the number of hostilities around the world has decreased, millions of men, women and children continue to bear the brunt of war.

An estimated 25,000 people on Tuesday fled camps for the displaced in Congo's restive North Kivu province, after fighting erupted between forces loyal to dissident general Laurent Nkunda and the Congolese army. For VOA, Noel King has more in this report from Goma.

Tens of thousands of previously uprooted Congolese in five major displacement camps were forced to flee again Tuesday following the latest confrontation between government forces and suspected renegade troops in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).